Liberal-Bashing Kid's Book is Surprise Bestseller

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Grassroots enthusiasm turns "Help! Mom! There Are Liberals Under My Bed" into a surprise bestseller. Success comes in spite of publishing industry skepticism and attacks by liberal pundits. "Publishers Weekly would never review a book like this."

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB)September 29, 2005

It's not often that a book shunned by the publishing industry, denounced by commentators, and published by a new imprint climbs up the bestseller lists. But that's what is happening with a controversial new children's book that portrays Hillary Clinton and Ted Kennedy as cartoon villains taxing and regulating a lemonade stand.

"Help! Mom! There Are Liberals Under My Bed" (Kids Ahead; hardcover $15.95; ISBN 0976726904) is a full-color illustrated book and the first offering from Kids Ahead, a new imprint of World Ahead Publishing. The book rocketed to national prominence last week when Rush Limbaugh praised it on his national program and conservative book-buyers pushed it up as high as #5 on Amazon and #1 on Barnes & Noble's websites. As of yesterday, the book continued to sell quickly, placing it within the top 25 for Amazon and the top 50 for Barnes & Noble.

"I'm gratified that the book has been so well received," says author Katharine DeBrecht. "It's evident that the glut of left-wing children's books cranked out by the publishing industry has put parents who believe in traditional values in a difficult position. They need an alternative to the endless parade of books about socialist fish and gay kings."

"Demand for the book has been brisk," says Eric M. Jackson, president of World Ahead Publishing. "We are in the process of printing more copies and rushing them onto store shelves. In the meantime, consumers who want to receive copies of 'Help! Mom! There Are Liberals Under My Bed' as soon as possible are advised to order it online." He noted that while online retailers like Amazon and Barnes & Noble are currently warning prospective buyers of delays, additional books are in the process of being delivered to them.

Jackson adds that the book's success has come in spite of a largely hostile publishing industry. No leading publishing journal -- including Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, or the New York Times -- has reviewed the book, and many professional book buyers were hesitant to carry the title prior to its surge in demand.

"While they were happy to trumpet Cindy Sheehan's recent book deal, Publishers Weekly would never review a book like 'Liberals Under My Bed,'" asserts Jackson. "The liberal mind-set in this industry still regards conservatives -- who represent 40% of the country -- as an oddity. How many times must they be hit over the head with evidence to the contrary before the lesson is learned?"

While publishing industry insiders have been standoffish, liberal pundits have mercilessly attacked the book. Alan Colmes, co-host of Fox's Hannity & Colmes, called it "brainwashing." MSNBC's Ron Reagan mused that he should write his own kid's book depicting conservatives as "hat[ing] black people." Daily Kos, the most trafficked left-wing blog, likened it to Nazi propaganda. Earlier this week, former New Republic editor and widely read blogger Andrew Sullivan incorrectly asserted that the book contained images of cartoon nudity involving Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA). Sullivan later acknowledged his error, but then went on to claim that the book invoked memories of Chinese dictator Mao Tse-Tung.

"The liberals in my book outlaw sugary drinks and make kids replace pictures of Jesus with pictures of big toes," says DeBrecht, who is a mother of three. "But it turns out that liberals in real-life are even crazier! Ron Reagan claims I'm recruiting for the KKK and Andrew Sullivan says there are naked pictures of Barney Frank -- Barney Frank! -- in my book. What's next? Will Paul Krugman claim that lemonade causes global warming, or Molly Ivins say that reading 'Help! Mom!' causes cancer? The sky's the limit with liberals!"

"Help! Mom! There Are Liberals Under My Bed" is available to the trade through Midpoint Trade Books, and to the public through Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, WorldNetDaily, American Compass, and retail stores.

About Kids Ahead:

Kids Ahead is an imprint of Los Angeles-based World Ahead Publishing, the West Coast's premier publisher of conservative and libertarian books. To learn more, visit http://www.worldahead.com.